Breathe

There's a concept about growing old...a concept that we as women embrace but yet resist....I came across a saying that reinforced my belief in growing old...for me I've always believed that growing old is a beautiful process...we live...the older we live the more we travel down the road we call life...life in all its splendor is a journey...the choices we make define the road we travel on...along the way we come to stops..we come to turns...we come to dead ends..we meet people who give us a better understanding of who we are...who challenge us in more ways than one...who sometimes in the worst cases bring out the worst in ourselves...causing discomfort..sometimes its not them we don't like but the reflection of them mirroring qualities we possess subconsciously but would rather be in denial about...
Ive come across women who would love nothing better than to erase the signs of aging....understandingly we live in a very image conscious world...for me youth is just the beginning...the stories we've live through...the laughter we've shared...the pain we've survived...the experiences we have yet to go through all tell a story...that beautiful story is etched on our faces...theres nothing more poignant than being proud of your story...why erase it? Why carry it inside and conform to a society built on superficial looks? That is aging gracefully.
The saying I came across said that aging is not a curse..its a privilege...
The privilege to wake up everyday to face a new beginning...its a privilege to have more time to experience life..to make dreams...to pursue them and to be surprised by fates specific plans for you...its a privilege to fall down to your knees in your darkest hours and to pick yourself up again only to come out stronger and all the wiser and more inspired to make tomorrow even better.
I cant begin to describe how hard it is for me to understand that with the knowledge we have of our own being...we still hold ourselves back...we try to stop feeling...we think a million times before we dare to succumb to our dreams and desires...and we don't realize that we have only one life...for those that have the courage to live, they face the wrath or disillusionment of the people around them...how can we call ourselves humane if we are denying ourselves our own basic rights...the right to pave our own way...the right to walk upon our own chosen paths because we face condemnation from the same people who have the same dreams yet aren't comfortable in their own skin to materialize it.
Personally to a large extent I dont care...Im open to life...I love diversity...I get a rush from the unknown...and expect and accept that I will make mistakes because that firsthand experience unleashes sides of myself that I need to discover...need to tap into...you cant go on unless you know who you really are...and you'll never know unless you stop being in the comfort zone and step out of your bubble...we read about life and love...we lose ourselves in movies and novels and we wish for so much yet we stay guarded...the world is a curious fascinating place...the world is one phase after another...no matter which path you choose everyday is an enrichment of who you are...we owe it to ourselves to feel...to think...to reflect...to love...to look beyond the frivolities of life and to strive to be the best we can be...not what other people want us to be.
I wrote in a previous post that I've lived a million lives and for that Im a better person.
Absolutely no regrets.
I look forward to tomorrow...inshalla for all the years to come...all Ive ever wanted was to be sitting on a calm night decades from now...near a fireplace and on a rocking chair...looking back at my journey and smiling at the comforting ghosts of the pasts...the memories...the moments...the travels...the laughter...the achievements...and all thats enriched it...As I turn to the future love of my life next me, he catches my eye and looks at me with his own reminiscent knowing glance...and with no words spoken..smiles with me...
Its going to be one hell of a journey..

Quod Me Nutrit Me Destruit

I sat up for four days straight in between recovering and sleeping reading The Diana Chronicles...the highly controversial book that topped the bestseller lists weeks long before it was due in stores...From the media blitz before the release I was expecting a princess bashing book about shortcomings and the usual critique from the author.

From the first page I was hooked...it was one of the best page turners Ive come across...it wasn't a tabloid fiction based on loose facts...rather a deep psychological study on the monarchy and the Princess herself...as Brown writes she weaves the details and the facts together to bring you something Ive never encountered in any of the other Diana books...a sense of her true essence...the world she lived in and the world she created...up until the last moments of her life.

I think one of the things Ive always associated with her was her ability to laugh at herself and to be true to who she was regardless of how it would appear...the more she shared her flaws the more she drew people in...it takes alot to unapologetically be yourself and embrace your weaknesses in a world that focuses on pretty pictures of eternal happiness and perfection...For a Princess...there hasn't been any other quite like her.

We live in a hedonistic world...the pursuit of instant gratification and short term happiness by whatever means specific to each individual...Diana like the rest of us built her life around a dream...she built dreams out of that dream...We've all been there...we've believed in things that maybe we shouldn't have...we've pursued a star that upon almost reaching it vanishes showing us the fallacy of our deepest wishes...and we've all clung on to a notion that resonates within our subconscious to trigger off a rollercoater of beginings and twists...of the endless heady intoxication of highs and lows that not only take over your whole life, nourishing it to completeness yet causes a spiral of all your thoughts and dreams to come crashing down in one succession at the same time..

Annual Bubblys

I haven't updated recently as I wasn't well...the episode gave me a sudden jolt of realization of the fragility of the human being...working with patients slowly detached me from their physical pain and the role reversal shook me with a better understanding of what it really feels like being in their place...morphine is the worst drug in the world ever...Its literally nauseating..el7amdila for everything its been a good recovery and Im thankful to having my loved ones support me through it all..
So back to the bubbles....Although my personal journal has been full..I missed writing here...I decided to post my Annual List as its been on my mind for ages so I hope you all get to share the fun with me until I update with something more substantial soon.


Cleansers:
Dermalogica ultracalming cleanser...the best discovery this year.
Cle de peau eau fraiche cleanser...really gives a fresh soft finish without overdrying and respects your skins need to stay balanced.
Makeup Remover:
Johnsons baby extracare wipes with pale green moisturizing stripes...the perfect precleanse but does not remove mascara.
Chanels eyemakeup remover.
Moisturizer:
Chanel Hydramax+serum...boosts hydration levels of the skin and can be used in conjunction with almost anything.
Elemis Trienzyme peel serum and night cream.
Eyes:
Chanel Sublimage...simply put this is an absolute stunner...created a cult following and its not hard to see why.
Dark Circles...Hylexin.
Eyemask..Estee lauder stress relief eyemask/Clarins eye mask (pop in the fridge 10 min before for an ultra treat)
Masks:
Origins out of trouble 10 min mask...Nixes all your skin woes to deep cleanse and calm at the same time.
Guerlain super aqua sheet masks....the deliciously scented sheets impart serious moisture and utter relaxation of your senses...best used on a calm evening with warm pj's and lounge music.
Origins white tea guardian antioxidant nighttime mask...neutralises all those harsh antioxidants that attack your skin during the day.
Scrubs:
Elemis papaya enzyme peel...literally eats up all your dead skin cells that deprive you from a fresh glow.
Clinique gentle exfoliator...so soft it wont aggravate sensitive skin.
Bobbi browns buffing grains...a real favourite of mine...mix with water or any of your cleansers for a quick scrub. Dermatologist based treatments:
Chanel micro solution peel with 10% Glycolic acid...this once a year programme with micro ampoules for 21 days works perfectly in winter when skin is less prone to irritation from the sun and the heat in summer.
Natura bisse glycoline...for those with less sensitive skin has a higher concentration of Glycolic acid.
Breakouts:
Mario Badescu drying lotion
Kiehls drawing paste
Chanels purete ideal blemish treatment
for those breakouts that you just had to squeeze...apply Fucidin H cream at drugstores.
Suscreen:
Clarins UV Plus SPF 40....light as air.
Primer:
Laura Mercier oil free foundation primer. <3<3<3<3

Foundation:Lancome teint idole ultra.
Chanel teint innocence compact...smooths on skin like a fresh cool breeze...literally.
Giorgio armani luminous silk foundation.
Clarins teint souffle...I wont ever stop raving about this one.
Powder:
T.clerc loose powder...one of the worlds best kept beauty secret.
Dior forever compact...perfect to keep in your purse or the car for quick touchups...doesnt hurt that the packaging is cuuute.
Bareescentuals mineral i.d
Concealer:
By Terry lightening expert foundation/concealer...Shes the same creator of the infamous Touche eclat by YSL which comes second on this list.
Mascara:
Lancome Virtuose
YSL mascara volume effect faux cils
Body smoothers:
Kiehls soy honey scrub
Natura Bisse honey scrub...crystals of honey do the work on dry skin to later come into contact with water and literally melt into the skin leaving you with the softest skin ever.
Body creams:
Kiehls creme de corp
Hand cream:
Shiseido hand cream...rich and ultra moisturizing.
Foot care:
Apart from my obsessive weekly paraffin treatment I love to maintain my tippy toes with Bliss foot patrol cream and softening socks once a week...perfect for a cozy night in with a mug of cocoa and your bestie on the phone.
Hair:

Shampoo

Kerastase bain miroir
Kerastase Nutridefense bain satin
conditioner
Kerastase nutridefense lait
Bumble and bumble creme de coco...smells so gorgeous you'll want to eat it up
mask
Philip Kingsleys hair elasticiser
Frederic fekkai overnight hair repair
shine
Bumble and bumble brilliantine...gives me the perfect just rolled out of bed slept in look.
Frederic fekkai glossing creme.
styling product
Bumble and bumble straight...has seven different types of silicone in it so it coats the hair and gives a gorgeous result to your blowdry
Bumble and bumble grooming creme.
Kiehls silk groom.
Mason pearsons hairbrush.

Have a bubblybeautylicious weekend x

A smile and a skip

As a gorgeous celebration of the month of love and adhering to my New Years resolution of being open to new things I decided to devote my time to doing all the things that I love.
I have been ecstatically surprised to see that everyday has been gorgeous in its own right...Im more relaxed than I ve ever been and as a result I find a strength returning with alot of inspiration enthusiasm sparkling within me..
The older we grow the more we come to understand lifes more defining and poignant messages...You only have one chance to live it...why not vivaciously?

To you..one gorgeous track that Ive been addicted to since January, from one of my favourite arabic vocalists Elissa...cant wait for the music video...or is it out already?



The past two weeks involved devoting most of my time to proving my place in my new department with the support of the team..I feel like its another world and another breed of doctors...the Head is one of the most professional people Ive encoutered at the hospital and is looked upon literally and I quote as the 'Godfather'...all of the surgeons bend over backwards to win his respect and Im impressed with the level of teamwork and commitment that each of them put in to their day everyday...Ive been assigned to a specialist who is incredibly genius and is wholeheartedly teaching me the art of surgery from the working aspect to the how to think like a surgeon and allowing that to extend through to my own life..Happily my philosophical side is satiated to the point where waking up every morning has become a pleasure...and coming home with mental notes of things to read up on and research gives me a better sense of fulfillment.
I was assigned an intern too who is so sweet she makes me laugh everyday...and everytime she wants to sneak off the floor after her responsibilities are fulfilled she'd turn to look at me with the desperate bored look all interns learn to master and I would remember my own days...with the calmest voice I'd say "I don't want to know where you are I assume youre at the clinic right?" to which her face would break out into a huge smile and she'd skip off...home.

I leave you with a smile and a skip myself...Have a starry night xx

Must haves

Every year I come up with my personal stamp of approval for the best products that Ive discovered...Since its really going to take forever to post I thought Id share them over my coming entries or until next weekend when I'd write the whole thing...In the meantime for you gorgeous girls out there are three equally gorgeous products that have surpassed my standards for must-haves.

Its the softest veil of translucency that actually lives up to its promise of staying put for 14 hours...Just pat on a little over problem areas...wait to dry completely to allow the microspheres to take effect and watch it stay all day with no need to retouch.

Ive still noticed alot of women who still dont match their foundation to their skin...Regardless of how great a product is and the reviews it gets...if it doesnt have your exact skin shade then move on until you find the brand that does....Most sales people have really surprised me when I see them telling customers to get a shade lighter or darker because that negates the whole purpose...foundation is to perfect the canvas so that everything will look polished afterwards...and the lighting in most stores is not reflective of how the colour will turn out...neither should you test foundation over your hand...ever...it should be over the jawline and should be a perfect match.

The second generation to Lancomes original Teint Idole...Teint Idole Ultra.




Imagine my glee when I discovered this...gives gorgeousssss shine...comes in the cutest colours...My vote goes to Vanille Beige...a stunning glossy nude that has been on my lips for the past three days straight.

Guerlain Kiss Kiss Gloss sticks.

The product that beat Cetaphil (the medically ranked gentlest cleanser in the world)....Dermalogica's Ultra calming cleanser soothed and calmed my skin...perfect enough to use for our weather and gentle but really effective at cleaning skin...I was giving my skin a detox this winter and this was my one allowed product apart from sunscreen...Results are delicious.

Have a good week peoplessss xx

Escape

Its been an interesting week. More so on a personal level...Ive settled into my comfort zone by finding new things to pursue and old favourites I had left behind.
The weather has been hauntingly beautiful...Spent a lovely afternoon in my favourite private hideaway place overlooking the sea..
As I watched the wind transform everything into a frenzy...blowing the waves into a crashing succession of white that foamed and merged into one another...my hair blown into strands across my face and shoulders as it whipped through me and my soul...I suddenly felt an invigorating sense of renewal.
I recall being here exactly a year ago...fresh out of my intern programme...life was different...all it takes is one year...I stood in the same place it all started for me and moments flashed by as the sky turned a daker shade of grey...Im not complete...a part of me decided to leave and stay in the past where it belongs...every now and then Im reminded of another time...another place...and I know that Im not the only one...
It took me some time to figure out that the one thing youre running from is the same thing youre running to...Life is so ironic.

I decided to thouroughly enjoy this alluring weather by taking up tennis...Im really looking forward to it...and I cant wait to hit the courts soon...Being the free spirit that I am with the attention span of a mosquito...this is something that I know Im going to see through...lol at least until the weather changes : P


Am on the hunt for these.

Heres a couple of all time faves to see you through the evening..

Have a starry night xx